Oscillating vane steam engine

ABSTRACT

An oscillating vane steam engine having a double differential control mechanism for the steam supply for operating the engine.

United States Patent inventor Willard E. Buck P.O. Box 671, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. 86403 Appl. No. 826,930 Filed May 22, 1969 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 OSCILLATING VANE STEAM ENGINE 5 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 91/252, 91/177,91/180, 91/188, 91/339 Int. Cl. F0l131/00,

FOlc 9/00, FO1133/02 [50] Field of Search 91/180. 252,177, 339,188

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,109,681 9/1914 Judson 91/180 1,742,088 12/1929 Maxson 91/180 2,397,130 3/1946 Dawson.... 91/180 2,419,600 4/1947 Sejarto 91/180 Primary ExaminerPaul E. Maslousky Attorney-Willard 1... Groene ABSTRACT: An oscillating vane steam engine having a double differential control mechanism for the steam supply for operating the engine.

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SHEET 3 OF 3 E5. 46/ TIE- 4e INVENTOR. M44420 5. 506K flTTURNEY OSCILLATING VANE STEAM ENGINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to oscillating vane steam engines, and is more particularly directed to improvements in the control valve mechanism for regulating the steam supply flow for y the engine.

Heretofore, control valve mechanisms for such engines SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION separated by the segment-shaped separators 30 fixed in the cylinder bore 26.

An outside bevel gear 31 is fixed on the oscillating rockshaft 24 and is engaged by a pair of outer difierential bevel pinions 32 journaled on the outer ends of the differential cross pin 33 mounted in the diametrical fore 34 of the differential spider 35. The outer bevel pinions 32 in turn are in mesh with the outer bevel gear 36 which is journaled on the stub shaft 37 journaled on suitable bearings 38 on the engine block 10. A sprocketi39 is fixed to the stub shaft 37 and is driven by a chait t40 which in turn is driven from the sprocket 41 fixed on the crankshaft 11.

Fixed to the inner end of the stub shaft 37 is the inner bevel gear 42, the bore 43 of which rotatably supports the trunnion 44ofthe spider 35. The inner bevel gear 42 is in mesh with a pain-of inner bevel pinions 45 journaled on the cross pin 33 One of the objects of this invention is to provide a steam engine configuration which is lightweight, approximately onethird the weight of prior configurations.

Another object is to construct a low cost engine in which nearly all precision parts are round and can be turned on a lathe.

Still another object is to provide and engine having long life BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevation of an oscillating vane steam engine incorporating the features of this invention, partly broken away to show the interior mechanism.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the engine on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 3a through 3e are sectional views similar to FIG. 3, showing the valve mechanism in various positions.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 40 through 4e are sectional views similar to FIG. 4, showing the valve mechanism in various positions.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the double differential shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As an example of one embodiment of this invention, there'is shown an oscillating vane steam engine comprising an engine block in which is journaled the crankshaft 11 on suitable bearings 12 and 13, the output end 14 of the crankshaft 11 being suitably connected to the apparatus to be driven, not shown. The other end of the crankshaft 11 has a crank arm 15 having a crank pin 16 at its outer end and a counterweight 17 at the opposite end.

In the illustration here, two oscillating vane units 18 and 19 are shown each connected by appropriate articulated connecting rods 20 and 21 in a well-known manner. Since each of the oscillating vane units 18 and 19 are the same, a description of the unit 19 will suffice for both. The connecting rods 20 and 21 are connected at their outer ends to the wrist pins 22 fixed in the outer end of the rock arm 23 which in turn is fixed to the rock shaft 24 journaled on appropriate bearings 24a and 24 b in the motor block 10. Fixed to the rockshaft 24 are the diametrically disposed piston vanes 25 which swing through substantially a 90 movement within the cylinder bore 26 and end surfaces 27 and 28 forming the cylinder chambers 29 between the outer bevel pinions 32 and the spider 35. The other inner bevel gear 46 is in mesh with the inner bevel pinions and is fixed on the end of the rotating valve sleeve 47 journaled in the enlarged bore 48 in the rock shaft 24, the

bore 49 of the inner bevel gear rotatably supporting the trunnion=50 of the spider 45. A lever arm 51 formed on the outer bevel gear 36 is connected to a suitable timing and reverse valve'control lever 52.v

The function of the double differential is to transmit motion from sprocket 39 to rotating valve sleeve 47 such that the valve sleeve 47 rotates relative to the rock shaft 24 exactly as sprocket 39 rotates relative to the engine block 10. Even when the rock shaft 24 is oscillating through large angles and at high speeds the valve sleeve will rotate smoothly with respect to this oscillating rock shaft if sprocket 39 is driven smoothly. Reverse operation is obtained by appropriately moving lever 52 through an angle such that valve sleeve 47 rotates 90.

A balanced cutoff valve sleeve 53 is rotatably journaled in the bore 54 of the rotating valve sleeve 47 and has bulkheads 55 in its ends that confine the high pressure steam inside the cutoff valve sleeve 53 and therefore prevent end loadings due to steam pressure. A square drive shaft 57 is fixed to a bulkhead 55 at 56 which square shaft 57 has a reduced cylindrical portion 58 supported in a suitable bearing 59 supported on the motor block 10. A shifter tube 60 is slidably mounted on the portion 58 and has a square socket portion 61 longitudinally slidingly engaging the square portion 57 of the cutoff valve sleeve 53. Radially outwardly projecting cam pins 62 are fixed on the periphery of the socket portion 61 which engage in spirally arranged cam slots 63 formed in the bore 64 of of the cam bushing 65 fixed in the bore 48 of the rock shaft 24. A shifter spool 66 is fixed on the outer end of the shifter tube 60 where it emerges from a seal 67 of the steam exhaust manifold 68 having the steam exhaust openings 69. A shifter arm 70 engages in the shifter spool 66 and is pivotally mounted on a pin 71 carried on the block 10 and is connected to a suitable operating lever 72.

Sleeve 53 is rotatably journaled in bore 54 of the rotating valve sleeve 47 by means of the longitudinal movement of square socket portion 61 to tube 60 causing pins 62 to rotate within cam slots 63. Square socket portion 61 is directly connected to square shaft 57 which in turn is connected to sleeve 53 causing it to rotate.

The main steam supply line 73 connects into the annular passageway 74 in the engine block which in turn communicates through ports 75 in the rock shaft 24, aligned ports 76 in the rotating valve sleeve 47, and aligned ports 76 in the rotating valve sleeve 47, and aligned ports 77 in the cutoff valve sleeve 53 so that there is always steam pressure supply in the closed end bore 78 in the cutoff valve sleeve 53. The pressure from the bore 78 passes out through cutoff ports 79 in the valve sleeve 53 and discharge ports 80 in the rotating valve sleeve 47 to take intake ports 81 in the rock shaft 24 to discharge into the proper cylinder chamber 29.

.The cutoff valve sleeve 53 oscillates with rock shaft 24 with a fixed relationship to it determined by the desired cutoff as controlled by lever 72. Shaft 24 is fixedly connected to bevel gear 31 which oscillates bevel pinions 32 and cross pins 33. Pins 33 have mounted on them bevel pinions 45 that rotatively drive bevel gear 46. Bevel gear 46 is fixedly connected to valve sleeve 47 in which are formed cam slots 63 for receiving cam pins 62 mounted on the square socket portion 61 of 5 shifter tube 60. The square socket portion 61 fits around the square drive shaft 57 with shaft 57 being fixedly connected to valve sleeve 53. The rotating valve sleeve 47 rotates smoothly with respect to the rock shaft 24 at one-half engine speed. With respect to the engine block 10, the rotating valve sleeve 47 moves faster or slower than the drive sprocket 39 to maintain the required constant speed with respect to the rock shaft 24. The steam is admitted under full pressure into piston chambers 29 until the cutoff valve sleeve closes the intake port 81. The steam continues to expand and apply pressure to the vanes 25, until the exhaust port 82 is opened from which the spent steam then discharges out through discharge ports 83 into bore 54, bore 64 and bore 84 to the exhaust manifold 68 and exhaust opening 69.

The exhaust port 82 remains open until the piston 25 has nearly completed the exhaust stroke. The steam pressure on the pistons 25 is transmitted through the rock shaft 24 to drive the rock arm 23, connecting rod 21 and crankshaft 11. There are two oscillating piston vane units 18 and 19 which are 90 out of phase with each other so that there is no position of the crankshaft that is on dead center so that the engine will start smoothly from any position.

It will be noted that the valve ports and valve construction is such that at all times there is balanced forces on all valves and on all shafts and bearings with the exception of the unbalanced rotary forces on the piston vanes that is required to convert the steam pressure into usable power.

FIGS. 3 and 4, and 3a to 3e, and 4a to 4e, inclusive, are a series of sectional views showing valve port positions for various piston vane positions and cutoff conditions. FIGS. 3, 3a, 3b and 3c, and 4, 4a, 4b and 4c show the conditions for a fixed cutoff of 30 percent. FIGS. 3 and 4 show start of a counterclockwise motion with the ports formed by rotating valve sleeve 47 just opening to admit high pressure steam into the proper cylinder chambers 29 and exhaust valves 82 just opening to exhaust the other pair of cylinders.

FIGS. 30 and 4a show the vane pistons in midposition with the cutoff valve already closed and the steam expanding in the cylinder chambers 29. The exhaust ports 82 are full open and allow free exhaust of the collapsing volumes. FIGS. 3b and 4b show the end of the power stroke with steam fully expanded and all ports closed. FIGS. 3c and 40 show the start of the clockwise oscillation with steam being admitted on the opposite sides of the piston vanes and the exhaust valves opening to exhaust the expanded steam.

FIGS. 3d and 4d show the position of the piston vanes at the point of cutoff in the cycle for a l0 percent cutoff. FIGS. 3e and 4e show a similar condition for a 60 percent cutoff.

I claim: 1. An oscillating vane steam engine comprising in combination:

A. an engine block,

B. a crankshaft having an output end,

C. a crank pin on the crankshaft,

D a rock shaft,

E. a rock arm fixed on the rock shaft,

F. a connecting rod interconnected between the crank pin and the rock arm,

G. a cylinder having a bore surrounding a portion of the rock shaft,

H. piston vanes fixed on the rock shaft within the cylinder bore,

I. segment shaped separators in the cylinder bore forming cylinder chambers with the piston vanes,

J. a rotating valve sleeve within the rock shaft,

K. and a power transmission connected between the engine block, the rock shaft and the rotating valve sleeve to cause the rotating valve sleeve to oscillate with the rock shaft.

2. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein the power transmission includes a differential comprising a bevel gear fixed to the engine block, a bevel gear fixed to the rock shaft, and a cross pin having outer bevel pinions journaled on the outer ends of the cross pin and engaging the bevel ears.

3. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein the power transmission includes a differential comprising a bevel gear rotatably adjustable and positionable on the engine block, a bevel gear fixed to the rock shaft, and a cross pin having outer bevel pinions journaled on the outer ends of the cross pin and engaging the bevel gears.

4. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein there is provided a cutoff valve sleeve rotatably mounted within the rotating valve sleeve, and means on the motor block connected to the cutoff valve sleeve for rotating and positioning the cutoff valve sleeve relative to the rock shaft and rotating valve sleeve.

5. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein the power transmission includes a double differential comprising an outer bevel gear fixed to the engine block, an outer bevel gear fixed to the rockshaft, a common cross pin having outer bevel pinions journaled on the outer ends of the common cross pin and engaging the bevel gears on the engine block and the rock shaft, an inner bevel gear fixed on the rotating valve sleeve, an inner bevel gear journaled on the motor block, inner bevel pinions journaled on the common cross pin engaging both of the inner bevel gears, and a second power transmission connected between the inner bevel gear journaled on the motor block and the output end of the crankshaft. 

1. An oscillating vane steam engine comprising in combination: A. an engine block, B. a crankshaft having an output end, C. a crank pin on the crankshaft, D a rock shaft, E. a rock arm fixed on the rock shaft, F. a connecting Rod interconnected between the crank pin and the rock arm, G. a cylinder having a bore surrounding a portion of the rock shaft, H. piston vanes fixed on the rock shaft within the cylinder bore, I. segment shaped separators in the cylinder bore forming cylinder chambers with the piston vanes, J. a rotating valve sleeve within the rock shaft, K. and a power transmission connected between the engine block, the rock shaft and the rotating valve sleeve to cause the rotating valve sleeve to oscillate with the rock shaft.
 2. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein the power transmission includes a differential comprising a bevel gear fixed to the engine block, a bevel gear fixed to the rock shaft, and a cross pin having outer bevel pinions journaled on the outer ends of the cross pin and engaging the bevel gears.
 3. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein the power transmission includes a differential comprising a bevel gear rotatably adjustable and positionable on the engine block, a bevel gear fixed to the rock shaft, and a cross pin having outer bevel pinions journaled on the outer ends of the cross pin and engaging the bevel gears.
 4. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein there is provided a cutoff valve sleeve rotatably mounted within the rotating valve sleeve, and means on the motor block connected to the cutoff valve sleeve for rotating and positioning the cutoff valve sleeve relative to the rock shaft and rotating valve sleeve.
 5. An oscillating vane steam engine as in claim 1 wherein the power transmission includes a double differential comprising an outer bevel gear fixed to the engine block, an outer bevel gear fixed to the rockshaft, a common cross pin having outer bevel pinions journaled on the outer ends of the common cross pin and engaging the bevel gears on the engine block and the rock shaft, an inner bevel gear fixed on the rotating valve sleeve, an inner bevel gear journaled on the motor block, inner bevel pinions journaled on the common cross pin engaging both of the inner bevel gears, and a second power transmission connected between the inner bevel gear journaled on the motor block and the output end of the crankshaft. 